All Employee Benefits articles in Web Issue – Page 559
-
AnalysisHealth and safety strategy is essential
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Employee benefits packages should be designed to support employers’ health and safety policies.Health and safety policies should consider both the physical and emotional wellbeing of employees.Rapid access to physiotherapy can help to prevent workplace injuries from becoming chronic.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report ...
-
AnalysisBe sure of data requirements for auto-enrolment
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Employers with early or imminent staging dates say they underestimated the complexities of auto-enrolment.A first step is to define qualifying earnings, and it is up to the employer to take a view on each component of pay.Opt-out forms must be issued by the pension ...
-
Analysis
Take care with tax on bikes for work
Guidance produced by tax information provider Tolley, in partnership with Philip Rutherford, senior tax director for Molson Coors Brewing Company, says there is a general exemption from tax and reporting for the employer when providing bikes and associated safety equipment, but this only covers the use, loan or hire of ...
-
Article
Consultation findings on executive pay
The latest move, at the end of September, was the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) release of consultation proposals on reporting regulations for executive remuneration.The consultation, Directors’ pay: revised remuneration reporting regulations, followed business secretary Vince Cable’s announcement on 23 January 2012 that the government wanted a package ...
-
Article
Higher priority given to staff mental health
Some employers are taking action, such as accountancy ?rm Deloitte, which unveiled a black dog statue at its London of?ces to show its commitment to the Black Dog campaign, run by the charity Sane to support mental health.The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)/Simplyhealth absence management survey found that ...
-
Case Studies
Sykes ensures staff connect with right incentives
The call centre services firm’s programme, SykesPride, was designed to improve recognition among its 650 Edinburgh-based staff through a range of award schemes. These include key performance indicator (KPI) awards for staff who hit their assigned KPIs, ad-hoc awards for those who go the extra mile in their role, and ...
-
Case Studies
Chemistry motivation scheme creates a buzz
Lorraine Makepeace, head of amazing at Chemistry, says: “We have always had an employee motivation budget, but last year we reviewed it as we wanted to encourage staff to really live our values of being passionate, brave and human.”The company devised a reward scheme in which employees can award a ...
-
Article
Interview with Janet Mckenzie, international reward, policy and mobility, The Body Shop
Janet Mckenzie, international reward, policy and mobility manager at The Body Shop, has a unique way to deal with the challenging world of reward and benefits. She likes nothing more than working through any issues that arise with a little culinary experimentation at home.She explains: “If I am wrestling with ...
-
Case Studies
Virgin Media uses social media-based recognition
The scheme started at Virgin Mobile, where it was managed by an external provider. Staff filled in a form, known as a ‘Shout’, and handed it to a colleague, who pinned it to the back of their desk.When Virgin Mobile was rebranded to Virgin Media in February 2007, the recognition ...
-
AnalysisBeware of tax and legal anomalies in benefits
YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS …Employers must be aware of all the tax and legal implications of benefits.Bikes-for-work schemes are often misunderstood. The bike is owned by the employer and must be used by the employee to get to and from work.Certain flexible benefi ts can require changes to ...
-
AnalysisSocial media plays growing role in recognition schemes
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS …Employers are increasingly using social media as an internal communications tool.Popular sites include online billboards, such as Chatter, Jive and Yammer.The low-cost, instantaneous nature of social media-based recognition programmes makes them attractive tools for employers to use, particularly during the economic downturnRecognising and ...
-
Analysis
Denmark well served with pensions
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…More than 75% of Denmark’s working-age population aged between 15 and 64 have a paid job.A number of employers offer private medical insurance and company cars.Danish employers now face hefty fines for the incorrect or untimely reporting of wages, salaries and employee benefits to ...
-
Article
One in five workers paid less than living wage
One in five UK workers are paid less than the living wage, according to research by accountancy firm KPMG.The research, commissioned by KPMG from Markit, combines analysis of the Office for National Statistics’ Annual survey of hours and earnings with Markit’s Household finance index survey.It has been published ahead of ...
-
Article
UK DB funded status improves
The funded status of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in Canada, the Netherlands and the US has declined since December 2011, while the UK has experienced improvements, according to research by Mercer.The greatest decline has occurred in the Netherlands, where the funded status has fallen from 96% to 80%, followed ...
-
Article
Incentives would encourage cycling to work
Almost half (48%) of respondents would cycle to work more often if there were extra incentives or rewards for them to do so, according to research by innovation foundation Nesta.The research, which surveyed more than 4,000 UK adults, found that, among employees who already cycle to work, the factors most ...
-
Article
Network Rail bike scheme sees high take-up
Network Rail has had 1,500 employees sign up for its bikes-for-work scheme since it was launched in August.This level of take-up equates to £1.1 million worth of bikes and accessories purchased through 396 independent cycle retailers, according to the scheme’s provider Cyclescheme.Ian Turner, rewards and benefits manager at Network Rail, ...
-
Article
Lloyds pilots new staff incentive scheme
Lloyds Banking Group is piloting a new staff incentive scheme, which puts the focus on customer service rather than product sales.The scheme is being piloted by 70 of the bank’s 1,800 UK branches, including Lloyds TSB and Halifax branches.It will run into early 2013, and is part of Lloyds’ quarterly ...
-
Article
Auto-enrolment cost and admin top employer concerns
More than 80% of corporate advisers said that the cost and administration of auto-enrolment are the top worries for employers preparing for the pension reforms, according to research by Aviva.Its Corporate adviser survey also found:67% of respondents said employers are concerned by the cost of meeting the long-term compliance requirements.38% ...
-
Article
Consultation on share buy back launched
The government has launched a consultation on changes to deregulate the conditions under which organisations can authorise and finance share buy backs.The consultation is based on a recommendation in The Nuttall Review on Employee Ownership, which was published in July.In organisations where employees hold a direct stake, the employer often ...